Dimmed
by alyssialui
Summary: When Andromeda's feelings for a muggle are known, she falls a bit out of favour with her father and her family. AU.


_A/N: When Andromeda's feelings for a muggle are known, she falls a bit out of favour with her father and her family. I never wanted to depict the final fall, when they fully discover that Andromeda actually wants to leave the family, but I'm sure that Bellatrix, if she saw any hint of Andromeda and Ted, would tell their parents. The parents would be reluctant to disown her (Cygnus strikes me as much calmer than Walberga) and would give her a very stern warning with a promise for the future if she didn't see reason. _I do not own Harry Potter.__

_Submission for:_

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): **Astronomy Assignment #6 - Write about someone falling from favor.**  
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_**Hogwarts Fair 2014 Challenge/Competition: **Weasley Water Slide - Write about how a family interacts with one another - Blacks (Andromeda/Bella/Cygnus)_

_**Greek Mythology Mega Prompt Challenge: **Cronus – Write about a disappointed parent._

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><p>Andromeda sat her dressing mirror, slowly brushing her hair. She had been contemplating this for a long time and every day, she was more convinced that she had to make the decision soon. She had to get out of this place before it robbed more of her self from her.<p>

Even now as she sat before her image, she could feel the weight of what it took to be a Black pressing on her shoulders. There was always this expectation of being perfect, not a hair out of place or a blemish on her skin. She had to carry herself with dignity and poise worthy of a young pureblood woman.

Andromeda scowled and threw her brush her mirror, wishing it would crack and feeling slightly angry when it didn't. But with the anger came the regret and the shame. This shame had been ingrained her at birth. The shame of acting out and being 'improper'. She screamed out and shook those feelings away. Even alone, she couldn't escape her upbringing.

Her door opened and she looked to see her father standing there, Bellatrix standing behind him with a coy smile. Andromeda could feel the temperature in the air drop from her father's icy glare. Nothing good could come out of this conversation. But she held her head high. She would go down with dignity and respect, like the pureblood woman she was raised to be.

"Father," Andromeda said as she rose from her dresser table to face him.

Cygnus walked into the room with Bellatrix and said, "Your sister has given me some disheartening news. First I must ask, are you pregnant?"

That was not the question Andromeda was expecting. Her mouth would have dropped open if she had not been perfectly maintaining her expression. "No, how could you think that?" Andromeda asked, trying to prevent the shock from seeping into her voice. One thing Andromeda believed in strongly was maintaining her virtue.

"How could I not think that with the news that you've fallen in love with a muggle?" Cygnus asked, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible. He too knew to keep discussions contained.

Andromeda looked from her father's restrained expression to Bellatrix's one of delight. She had finally told their parents about her relations. Andromeda looked down at her feet but said nothing. If it were their mother, she may have lied, but she couldn't with their father.

Cygnus came up to her and placed a finger under her chin, "Let me make one thing clear, daughter, since it obviously isn't: we are Blacks, member of the Noble and Most Ancient House. We are purebloods, better and richer than those around us. We do not fraternize with muggles and we do not have feelings for them."

Andromeda said despite herself, "Ted is not a muggle. I know him from school."

Cygnus sneered, "All those inferior to us are not worth your time, Andromeda."

Cygnus stepped away and then turned to Bellatrix. "I trust that you will watch over your sister and keep her in check."

Andromeda looked at Bellatrix's eager nod. Bellatrix would do anything to be on their parents' good side.

Cygnus looked back at her and she could see him regarding her in a different light. She could tell she had dimmed in his eyes, her shine dulled by her inadequacies and faults. She was the Black who had 'feelings' for a mudblood. "You would do well to heed my words, dear, or fall further out of favor."

He swept out of the room leaving the two girls behind. Andromeda looked towards her sister and asked, "How could you do that? How could you go behind my back like that? Do I mean nothing to you?" She and Bellatrix had never seen eye to eye, but she would have hoped Bellatrix would have stayed out of her business just this once. Why couldn't Bellatrix let her make her own mistakes on her own time and not go running to mommy and daddy at the first sign of a scandal?

Bellatrix said, "This is good for you, Andromeda. It was absolutely disgusting finding out you had feelings for a muggle. I had to step in while there was still time."

Andromeda turned away, trying to stop the tears in her eyes from falling before her sister. She would not beg and she would not scream. She was better than that and better than Bellatrix. Bellatrix sighed and then said softly, "You'll thank me later," before she left the room.

Andromeda sat her dressing mirror with her head in her hands. She had to get out of this place before it robbed more of her self from her.


End file.
